d round upon him.

The small boy became pinker than before.

"The taxi, sir. I heard her tell the driver Charing Cross and to look
sharp."

Tommy stared at him, his eyes opening wide in surprise. Emboldened, the
small boy proceeded. "So I thought, having asked for an A.B.C. and a
Bradshaw."

Tommy interrupted him:

"When did she ask for an A.B.C. and a Bradshaw?"

"When I took her the telegram, sir."

"A telegram?"

"Yes, sir."

"When was that?"

"About half-past twelve, sir."

"Tell me exactly what happened."

The small boy drew a long breath.

"I took up a telegram to No. 891--the lady was there. She opened it
and gave a gasp, and then she said, very jolly like: 'Bring me up a
Bradshaw, and an A.B.C., and look sharp, Henry.' My name isn't Henry,
but----"

"Never mind your name," said Tommy impatiently. "Go on."

"Yes, sir. I brought them, and she told me to wait, and looked up
something. And then she looks up at the clock, and 'Hurry up,' she says.
'Tell them to get me a taxi,' and she begins a-shoving on of her hat in
front of the glass, and she was down in two ticks, almost as quick as I
was, and I seed her going down the steps and into the taxi, and I heard
her call out what I told you."

The small boy stopped and replenished his lungs. Tommy continued to
stare at him. At that moment Julius rejoined him. He held an open letter
in his hand.

"I say, Hersheimmer"--Tommy turned to him--"Tuppence has gone off
sleuthing on her own."

"Shucks!"

"Yes, she has. She went off in a taxi to Charing Cross in the deuce of a
hurry after getting a telegram." His eye fell on the letter in Julius's
hand. "Oh; she left a note for you. That's all right. Where's she off
to?"

Almost unconsciously, he held out his hand for the letter, but
Julius folded it up and placed it in his pocket. He seemed a trifle
embarrassed.

"I guess this is nothing to do with it. It's about something
else--something I asked her that she was to let me know about."

"Oh!" Tommy looked puzzled, and seemed waiting for more.

"See here," said Julius suddenly, "I'd better put you wise. I asked Miss
Tuppence to marry me this morning."

"Oh!" said Tommy mechanically. He felt dazed. Julius's words were
totally unexpected. For the moment they benumbed his brain.

"I'd like to tell you," continued Julius, "that before I suggested
anything of the kind to Miss Tuppence, I made it clear that I didn't
want to butt in in any way between